Inflammation Associated with Obesity Obscures Iron Deficiency in Women in the United States

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Ferritin is the initial test for iron deficiency but can be misleading in inflammatory states due to its role as an acute-phase reactant.
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The World Health Organization recommends interpreting ferritin alongside an inflammation marker to improve accuracy in diagnosing iron deficiency.
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Using NHANES data, the study found that adjusting ferritin for inflammation increased the prevalence of iron deficiency among women from 7.78% to 10.70%.
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The adjustment identified approximately 3.6 million additional US adults as iron deficient, with a significant increase in prevalence among women aged 20-49 years.
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Red cell indices indicated greater iron restriction among women reclassified as deficient after inflammation adjustment compared to those initially deemed replete.

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